Carol Wells Rabon

Carol Wells Rabon, 78, of Durham, NC passed away on August 13, 2025, at Hock Family Pavilion in Durham.

Mrs. Rabon was born on March 27, 1947, in Springfield, Missouri to the late Richard Newton and Eunice Bishop Wells.

Carol is survived by her husband Jerry Lee Rabon; daughter, Nicole Rabon of Durham; sister, Nikki Wells of Santa Fe, New Mexico; brothers-in-law, Larry Rabon and Freddy Rabon (Dawn) both of Charlotte, NC, Phillip DuPalevich of Jacksonville, NC; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Seaver of Marion, NC; cousin, Joy Shioleno; aunt, Rose Bishop; nieces and nephews, Curt Rabon, Ashley Cunningham, Joey Rabon, Julie Rabon Kremer and Paul DuPalevich.

Carol knew from a young age that she wanted to be a teacher. She graduated from Appalachian State University in 1969, when it was still Appalachian State Teacher's College. She went on to earn a Master's Degree in Reading from UNC in 1978, with the aim of pursuing her first love - teaching reading to first graders at Merrick Moore Elementary School, with the goal of giving those students, often from less privileged backgrounds and often with learning challenges, the opportunity for a good start in life by learning the critical skill of reading. From that time, student by student, for the rest of her 46-year teaching career, Carol directed her love, talent and time toward reaching that goal and was rewarded not only with success, but also with the affection of hundreds of young students and the respect and friendship of her professional colleagues. Carol was a long-time member of Calvary Baptist Church, where she pursued singing, her second passion in life, by serving as a member of the ensemble and choir and as the Music Director of Vacation Bible School, which she taught along with teaching in Sunday School. She was a member for years of Sweet Adelines and was known for raising her voice in song at family gatherings or simply as she performed her chores around the house. She truly loved to sing! Carol was an avid traveler, having spent months on the road with her daughter and her late parents in their RV when her daughter was young, traveling with her husband Jerry around the US and Canada, traveling with her sister and mother to France and England, and later traveling with her sister to Spain, Italy and all the countries along the rivers between Amsterdam and Budapest on a long planned river cruise. Carol took great pleasure in the little things in life, but nothing was more important to her than her family and her wide circle of friends, especially her "second family" of retired teachers and teaching assistants from Merrick Moore Elementary School, many of whom surrounded her hospital bed and filled her hospice room in the last months of her life. Carol was a remarkable and devoted caregiver to her late mother, Eunice Wells, and was likewise committed to caring for her daughter Nicole, who suffers from a serious, chronic illness. Carol loved her pets, especially her rescue schnauzer Lexie, who sadly died in 2016, but was never forgotten, and her schnoodle, Missy, who visited Carol while she was in hospice. Carol was a wonderful, social person, who was loved by her family, adored by her sister, and respected and loved by her friends. She focused her life on her deep Christian faith, her family, her friends, her neighbors, and her students. Carol was a patient at the Cancer Clinic at Duke Regional Hospital for many years and adored the nurses and other staff at the clinic. Her family sends their heartfelt appreciation to each of them and to Dr. Hardihood for their loving care of Carol during her illnesses and the cheerful social contact they provided to Carol, which made her appointments an opportunity for friendship as well as care.

A visitation will be held on Friday August 15, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. at the church.

Officiating will be Reverend Jody Griffin.

Entombment will follow at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens.

Flowers are acceptable.